Steam cylinder for cloth-sponging machines



(. FRY.

STEAM CYLINDER FOR CLOTH SPONGING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26| 1921.

1,436,705. Pawnalvov. 28, 1922.

Patented Nov. 28, 1922.

srars hasta GEORGE FRY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

STEAM CYLINDER FOR CLOTH-SPONGING MACHINES.

Application filed. September 26, 1921.

To all whom t may concern: i

Be it known that l, GEORGE FRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Steam Cylinders for Cloth- Sponging Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has reference generally to cloth treating or sponging machines, and relates more particularly to the cylinder through which steam is applied to the goods rolled thereon and to the mechanism by which the steam delivered from the cylinder is maintained in a dry condition and excess moisture is precluded from coming in contact with the goods.

In machines of this general character, the cloth to be treated is rolled smoothly upon the steam cylinder, the circumferential walls of which are perforated, and then steam is admitted to the cylinder and permitted to escape through the perforations into the body of the surrounding fabric so as to cause the fabric or goods to shrink before it is cut. After being treated with steam for a predetermined period, the cloth is permitted to dry, whereupon it may be unrolled from the cylinder and is ready for use.

If drops of water or condensation from the steam are permitted to escape from the cylinder, they cause spotting of the goods so as to greatly depreciate its value, and it is with a view of preventing such spottingand of draining olf the condensation and preventing it from coming in contact with the goods that my present invention was designed.

One of the primary purposes, therefore, of this invention, is to provide a cylinder from which steam may be supplied to the goods wound thereon, which cylinder, however, shall be so constructed and designed to so operate that no moisture may escape from the cylinder into accidental contact with the goods so as to spot or otherwise impair their value.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a cylinder which may either be rotated during the steaming treatment of the goods or, if preferred, may remain stationary without danger of spotting the goods.

Serial N0. 503,148.

Another object is to provide a cylinder which will not be wasteful of steam, but which will prevent loss of steam through the drain openings, except such openings as may be at any time in lowernoost or draining position, the result being that with this construction, a minimum loss of steam through the drain openings occurs during the operation of the cylinder.

Still another object is to provide a cylinder which will be economical to manufacture and assemble, and one which will be strong, durable, and reliable in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention should be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a cylinder embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a similar view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the `drawings more in detail, reference character 5 indicates the cylinder proper, which may be of any desired length and diameter, and customarily, to avoidkthe formation of rust which might injure the cloth, this cylinder is made of brass. One-end (not shown) is closed in any suitable manner, and the other end is threaded to receive a cap 6 equipped with a hollow boss or trunnion 7 carried in a bearing 8 of the machine frame and surrounded by a suitable packing 9 to avoid leakage. This trunnion carries the weight of this end of the cylinder and also provides a passage 11 through which steam is supplied tothe interior of the cylinder from a supply pipe 12. The cap 6 is provided `just inside the cylinder walls 5 with an annular row of drain openings 13, and spaced radially inwardly therefrom is provided with an inner row of' drain openings 14C.

I The steam, instead of being delivered directly into the cylinder, is distributed throughout the length thereof by means of a distributing pipe 15 connected in any suitable manner to the end (not shown) of the cylinder and provided at the opposite end with a cup-shaped partition member 16 threaded onto thel end oi pipe 15 and provided with a flat circumferential margin 17 which engages the inner face of the cap 6 between the rows of drain openings 13 and 1e so as to prevent direct communication between these rows oi' openino's. The distributing pipe 15 is ralso periorated and the steam delivered thereto is distributed there- Yfrom throughout the length of the cylinder through distributing openings in the walls oit the pipe, which, in order to separa-te the condensation from the issuing steam and 1n order to prevent this condensation from dropping into the cylinder, are each provided with an inwardly projecting tube 18. Any moisture er condensation therefore, which may collect in this pipe, is prevented from escaping therefrom through these perfor-ations.

The circumferential walls of the cylinder 5 through which the steam is delivered to the goods wound thereon is similarly perforated, and each perforation is likewise provided with a tube 19 extending inwardly into the cylinder and adapted to prevent condensation from iiowing from the cylinder to the goods. The tubes 18 and 19 may either be formed directly from the body of the cylinder and pipe walls respectively or they may be structurally independent from these walls and attached thereto by soldering or by being threaded into tapped openings in the walls, as preferred. The cylinder is either mounted in the machine with the left hand end shown in Fig. 1 a little lower than the right hand end, or the machine itself may be set at a slight inclination so tiat any condensation or water which might tend to accumulate in the cylinder and in the distributing pipe is caused to iow to the lett hand end thereof, from. which it is drained oil", will now be explained,

The machine is provided with a stationary head 21 preferably formed integrally with the bearing S and equipped with an annular flange 22 within which the cylinder is adapted to rotate. A ring 23 threaded into this flange engages an annular shoulde 24e formed on the head 6 and thereby holds the head and cylinder against longitudinal displacement toward the right. As there is a slight possibility of condensation working past this ring, a flanged ring 25 is attached to the ring 23, which serves to space the goods when being wound on the cylinder away 'from the cylinder head. llVithin the head 21 and between its inner face and the outer face of the cap 6 there is mounted a flat face disc ring 26, the inner face of which fits snugly against the outer lie-ce of. the cap 6 and closes and ef- 'ectually seals; the drain openings 13 and 14: with the exception of one opening in each roll at the lower portion of the cylinder', where a section of the ring is undercut, as indicated by reference character 27. The circumferential length of this undercut or recessed portion of the ring is not greater than the distance between centers of the drain openings 13 and 14 in each roll. Consequently, in any position of the cylinder, only one drain opening in each roll or a partial area of two openings, the aggregate et which will not exceed the area of one opening, can be exposed at one time. F or the purpose. of holding the closure ring 26 snugly against the face oi' the cap 6 so as to preclude leakage oi steam through the covered drain openings, a plurality of expansion springs 2 is employed, these springs being disposed in sockets 29 formed in the head 21 for their reception and being adapted to continuously urge the closure ring into snug engagement with the cap 6. ,For the purpose of preventing radial displacement ot this closure ring, the inner tace of head 21 is provided with an annular shoulder' 31 around which the ring lits and in order to preclude rotative movement of theVring, it is equipped with a plurality of openings 32 adapted to receive dowel pins 33 extending inwardly from the head 21. Clearance between the outer margin of the ring and the ilange 24 is afforded by providing an annular groove 34 on the inner 'face of the ring. The condensation which escapes from the drain openings 13 and 14 into the recess Q7 of the closure ring is collected in a pocket 35 formed at the bottom of the head 21 from whence it is drained on through a drain pipe 36.

In the operation of my invention, the parts being assembled as shown, and the cylinder being mounted so that its lett hand end is slightly lower than its right hand end, the steam is delivered through the passage 11 and into the distributing pipe l5. from which itis distributed into the interior o'lt the cylinder. The crnuilensation which collects in this pipe is precluded trom flowing into the cylinder by the tubes 1S and therefore flows to the lett hand end of this pipe, thence into the chamber formed between the cap 6 and the cup-shaped member 16. This member, of course, rotates with the cylinder and the cap 6 but the condensation will flow by gravity to the lowermost point from whence it will escape through the lowermost drain opening 141 into the recess 27, thence into pocket 35, from which it is discharged through the pipe 36.

The steam which has been delivered into the i densation, however, which collects inthe cylinder proper flows toward the left hand end thereof and finally escapes through the lowermost drain opening 13.

It will be apparent therefore, that in my improved cylinder, provision' is made for continuous rotation of the cylinder, While at the same time, all of the drain openings, with the exception of one in each row being eifectuallyi sealed, there is minimum loss of steam through the drain pipe 36. My invention, therefore, provides for edective separation of condensation and other moisture from the steam so that the steam is delivered in dry condition to the goods to be treated, and it also provides for continuous drainage of this condensation from the revolving cylinder, while at the same time restricting the loss of steam through the drainage openings to a minimum.

It is believed that my invention and many of its inherent advantages will be understood from the foregoing without further description, and while I have shown and described a preferred embodiment, the details of construction may obviously be varied within considerable limits without departing from the essence of the invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

l. In a device of the character described, the combination of a cylinder, a cap therefor provided with a plurality of rows of drain openings, means within the cylinder for preventing direct communication betweenv the inner and outer openings and means for closing all of said drain openings with the exception of the lowermost openings in each row. i

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a rotatable cylinder, a cap therefor, a distributing pipe within said cylinder, said cap being provided with an annular row of drain openings for the cylinder proper and another `row of drain open` ings for said distributing pipe, means for sealing all except the lower most openings in each row, and means for discharging the drainage from said openings.

In a device of the character described, the combination of a rotatable perforated cylinder, a distributing pipe disposed longitudinally therein, a cap closing the end of said cylinder and provided with drain openings, a closure ring engaging the outer face of said cap to seal said openings, and means for holding said ring in engagement with said cap, said ring being provided with a recess at its lower portion to permit drainage through the lowermost drain openings.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a cylinder having perforated walls and means for preventing :flow of condensation through said perforations, an end wall for said cylinder provided with drain openings, a stationary closure ring for closing said drain openings, and

means for holding said ring against,y the der, and means for automatically sealing all of said drain openings against the escape of steam therefrom except those openings which are disposed lowermost during the rotation of the cylinder and through which condensation may escape from the cylinder.

(5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a rotatable cylinder, a distributing pipe disposed therein and adapted to rotate therewith, said pipe and cylinder being perforated, means for preventing a flow of condensation through` the perforations of said pipe and cylinder, an end wall for the cylinder provided with drainage openings, a closure plate covering said openings except at the lower portion of the cylinder, and means for holding said plate against said wall so as to seal the openings with the exception of the lowermost through which drainage may take place.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a rotatable cylinder, a cap therefor provided with drainage openings, a closure ring having a flat face engaging the outer face of said cap to close said openings, said ring being provided at its lower portion with a recess to expose the lowerinost drainage openings of the cylinder, and a plurality of springs for urging said plate into sealing engagement with said cap.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a perforated rotatable steam cylinder, an end wall therefor provided with drain. openings, and a stationary plate .sealing said openings to prevent the escape of steam therefrom, said plate being adapted to expose the lower drain openings thereby permitting drainage from the cylinder therethroiigh.`

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of a rotatably mounted steam cylinder provided with a perforated end wall, means for delivering steam to said cylinder, and means for sealing the perform tions in said end wall except at the lower portion thereof through which drainage of condensation from said cylinder is permitted.

10. In a device of the character described, the combination of a cylinder, an end wall therefor provided with a. plurality of rows or' drain openings, a partition wall disposed within said cylinder and preventing direct communication between said rows of openings, and ineans for closing` all except the lowerniost opening in each row.

ll. ln a device of the character described.y the combination of a cylinder, an end wall therefor provided with a plurality or' rows of drain openings, a curved wall Within Said cylinder arranged to prevent direct coniniunication between the inner and outer rows of said openings, a perforated pipe extending into said cylinder from said wall, and a plate engaging the outer face of Said cylinder end wall, said plate being shaped to close all of said drain openings except the lowerinost opening in each roW.

GEORGE FRY. 

